Hey guys! It's been a while since I've done a straight up skin care review - I'm working on getting back into the beauty swing, but this year and my brain's way of managing it are making it a bit of a struggle. That said, I've been testing out a bunch of products from Clayton Shagal and I've finally gotten my thoughts together enough to put together my review - a little later than I intended, but I've definitely given these a thorough test!

Keep reading for more!

If you're unfamiliar with Clayton Shagal, as I was, they are a Canadian company based in Montreal that has been in the skin care game for nearly 40 years now. With a focus on high quality ingredients and formulas that are developed and clinically tested with a focus on efficacy without irritation. Also, their products are not tested on animals. See why I was very interested to try the brand out?

The experience with this cleanser for me took a minute to get used to, since this very lightweight gel formula without any lather is different than what I'm used to, but once I got used to it I really, really enjoyed the experience. It does a good job of effectively cleansing my skin really gently, without any irritation or stripping. For me, maintaining that moisture barrier is of huge importance, so I loved that this left me with really fresh, clean feeling skin without any of that tight feeling. I've also used this with my silicone cleansing brush a couple of times a week to get a slightly more intense cleanse and it was really effective without causing any irritation or discomfort, which can be an issue with a cleansing brush. Something else worth noting with this cleanser is that it could be a fantastic option for someone with eyelash extensions, which I know can be tricky. Overall, I really enjoyed this cleanser and I will keep using it. 

Now, admittedly, I'm not generally a huge fan of physical exfoliation and I do tend to stick more to chemical exfoliants, but I was definitely interested in trying this out, especially once I got a feel of the formula. This is the kind of physical exfoliant that has the tiniest little gritty bits in it, in this case made of bamboo, that slough away all of that dead skin and leave skin really, really soft. Again, like the cleanser, when I used this I didn't have any issues with irritation or stripping, though there is a little bit of pinkiness and short term tingles when I use this. I definitely recommend using a gentle hand when working this into the skin, it definitely doesn't have to be aggressively scrubbed to really do its job. Like I said, I'm not a huge physical exfoliation sort of a girl, but I did definitely enjoy the experience and effects of using this one and I will continue to use it.

Sometimes I forget just how much I love a soothing, hydrating mask as a self care step - and at this particular point in life, I definitely feel like I need to lean on self care more than ever. This mask is just lovely. The texture is quite thick and silky, but I find that I can easily get a nice even layer over my face if I apply it with a mask. There's a hint of a cool feeling on the skin, which I would attribute to the soothing ingredients rather than anything irritating to the skin. It really is a delight to use and when I rinse it off, my skin definitely feels soothed and moisturized. I do recommend cleansing after this mask though, because I do find that it can leave a bit of residue behind on the skin, but it does cleanse off pretty easily. When I've used this on skin that's feeling irritated and maybe a little bit parched, it really does give it a bit of an energy boost that I really enjoy.

Honestly, these three products together, for me, feel very much like a trip to the spa for a facial and there's a sensory and sort of luxurious element to them that I find really enjoyable. Of the three, I would say that my personal favorite is the cleanser - which is entirely unsurprising considering my obsession with cleansing - but I do think they all three work really, really beautifully together for a bit of a pampering skin care session. 

Initially, I have to admit that I wasn't really sure how to use this product or the next one, but I've ended up using both of them in sort of the same capacity - during my hydrating serum step and I sort of feel like I feel very much the same way about both of them. I just apply a thin, even layer over the skin and let it sink in on its own (as per the instructions) and I find that it actually only takes a few minutes for it to basically disappear. This one, the Elastin Gel Plus, is definitely a little bit thicker or more dense in texture and takes a little bit longer to sink in than the Collagen, and once it sinks in there is definitely a noticeably more bouncy and youthful look and feel to the skin. 

As I said, I definitely put this in the same category as the Elastin Gel Plus, though this one is slightly thinner (though not at all a thin gel) and it does sink into the skin a little bit faster. Of the two, though, I think this one is the one that I prefer. There's a slightly more silky feel to the skin after application and I definitely feel like my skin can benefit from the topical collagen. I also think this does a really, really good job of adding hydration to the skin and leaving a plumped, more youthful looking appearance. I know that it is also at work deeper in the skin, doing things that I can't see straight away, and I do think that since I've been using both of these gels in my skin care routine I've noticed a more sustained hydration and plumpness. 

When it comes to creams, I'm pretty picky and I think there's a distinctly subjectivity when it comes to what sorts of moisturizers people are going to be into. For me, this one isn't quite right for what I prefer, but I think that for someone with really dry or mature skin, this could be one that you could get a little obsessed with. It's not a super thick cream when you first get some out of the jar, but as you work it into the skin it's super rich and densely moisturizing. This is definitely not what I would call a lightweight kind of a cream and I think that this would be ideal for someone who really needs that intense, really rich and occlusive moisturizer, which just isn't my personal preference. It's a nice formula and does a really solid job of moisturizing though. 

I think you can sort of tell the slight difference in density between the two gels in this photo - the elastin on the left is just that little bit thicker. And, like I said, the texture of the cream initially really does seem like it's going to be a thinner, more lotiony type texture but it definitely works into be a rich, densely moisturizing cream.

Overall, I have to say that I've been pretty impressed overall with these products and how they work. Honestly, I wasn't really sure at first how I was going to feel about them because pretty much all of them are outside of my usual types of products, but they are all really good quality and for the most part have all worked really well for my skin. 

Of all six, the products that I think I will continue to use for sure are the cleanser, the mask, and the collagen gel, as those are the ones that I think fit best into my personal skin care routine and taste.

If you're interested in trying out Clayton Shagal products, head over to their website to shop and to find salons and spas that carry their products!

Thanks for reading!